The present invention relates to apparatus for displaying goods for sale, for example, crated goods such as supermarket produce; more particularly, to shelving apparatus having a plurality of shelves disposed on an inclined surface so that goods on higher shelves do not obscure viewing of goods on lower shelves; and most particularly to a system of shelves wherein the shelves are supported on an adjustable, articulated frame so that the display angle and height may be easily altered, and so that the system may be easily collapsed to facilitate storage or shipping, all manually and without the use of tools.
Inclined, or stepped, shelving for displaying various different lots of items together is well known, especially crated lots such as supermarket produce (citrus fruits, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.). Stepped shelving is a more efficient mode of display than a simple inclined surface, permitting more material to be displayed per length of incline.
It is generally desirable to be able to vary the angle of incline according to the changing display needs of the materials being displayed, to vary the distance of those materials from a customer standing in front of the display, and to vary the height of the materials. It is further desirable, for efficient use of display space, that shelving be formed to accommodate standard shipping crate sizes. In typical prior art displays varying these display parameters can be difficult or not possible, and can require special tools. Further, typical prior art displays are known to have a rigid frame, making storage and shipping of the display means cumbersome and consumptive of valuable storage space.
What is needed is a system of adjustable inclined shelving having a plurality of modular stepped shelves which provide a readily accessible display to a customer, wherein the angle of display, height of display, and distance of display from the customer may be easily changed without the need for any tools, and wherein an articulated supportive frame may be collapsed for storage and shipping.
It is a principal object of the invention to provide a system of improved adjustable inclined shelving wherein the angle and height of display may be changed without the need for tools.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a system of improved adjustable inclined shelving for crates wherein the depth of the shelves is optimal for displaying modular crates.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a system of improved adjustable inclined shelving wherein the system may be collapsed for storage or shipping.